I’m tired of all the negativity about this country. I’m also tired of the mainstream media that reinforces these feelings.
But I wasn’t thinking about any of these things as I carefully climbed the bleachers to sit with my daughter and family and watch Natalie, my oldest granddaughter, at her middle school honor students’ presentation.
The gymnasium was huge as is the school, and as parents and grandparents filed in and found seats, I looked at the program and saw that almost 400 students were being honored, so I estimated probably 1,000 people were present.
Here in a suburb of St. Louis, in the heartland, everybody was proud and happy and cordial and for a good reason. These kids were being recognized for academic excellence, a positive event.
Gazing around, I noticed something interesting— people of every race and color and, more than likely, creed— African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Middle Easterners, whites, and I’m sure I missed other diverse groups as well. I noted women wearing hijabs, men wearing turbans, men in baseball hats, girls in spring dresses, girls in jeans, boys in suits, boys in jeans, fathers in suit coats, fathers in camouflage.
Growing up, I was taught that the United States of America is a melting pot, a land of opportunity, and I’ve never seen a better example than this.
My lofty thoughts ended as the first of 300 students began filing in. The audience’s rustling and chatting slowly quieted as they took seats. A ceremony, complete with a flag presentation by an honor guard began. Next, everyone stood respectfully for the Pledge of Allegiance and remained standing for a small band’s rendering of “America the Beautiful.”
The thought occurred to me that the respect I was witnessing was something I’ve not seen lately, especially in the mass media.
I watched as my granddaughter walked up to get her award, and tears filled in my eyes. Seems like only yesterday, I was writing a column about my first grandchild, and here she was, smiling and graceful, accepting her award alongside her peers.
Finally the awards were presented. An ethnic hodge-podge of names filled the air as students of all different backgrounds and cultures accepted the award on the stage.
This truly is America, I thought, and I was proud.
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